Controls for relatively small and inexpensive engines, such as lawn mower engines, are usually mounted at a distance from the engine with connection to the engine throttle being made by a control wire sliding inside a conduit. It is desirable in the small engines that an efficient, inexpensive throttle control be provided and that such throttle control function efficiently to maintain the position of the throttle setting and to avoid inadvertent shut-off of the engine when it is desired that the engine idle.
My prior copending application Ser. No. 230,607, filed Feb. 2, 1981, is a continuation-in-part of my earlier filed application Ser. No. 157,374, filed June 9, 1980, now abandoned, discloses one type of throttle control for small engines which has particular application to throttle control for a lawn mower.
Another example of prior art throttle control is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,151. This patent discloses a small engine throttle control which includes a wire extending through a conduit, the wire having an off-set or z-shaped portion extending across a plastic rack with notches thereon and extending through a slot in the throttle control lever. The off-set portion of the control wire is urged into engagement with the rack to attempt to maintain the position of the throttle as set.